


Strings

by s0mmerspr0ssen



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Holidays, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, K/S Advent Calendar, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 01:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s0mmerspr0ssen/pseuds/s0mmerspr0ssen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim's sudden excitement over Christmas causes Spock to think up a rather special gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strings

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the [K/S Advent 2013](ksadvent.livejournal.com)! Check it out, there's new sweet, sexy, sad or sappy Kirk/Spock fic, poetry and art posted every day!
> 
> This story was written for a prompt, which you will find at the end of the fic. Thanks to the wonderful Siren for the last-minute betaing!

Jim has never been much of a fan of the holidays, mainly because they had never been anything special back when he was a kid.  
  
When he was very young, they had done the entire Christmas thing, with the tree and brightly-wrapped presents and the food and all the other good stuff. But with Frank taking over the household after Jim turned six, that soon became a thing of the past.  
  
Winona disappeared out into the black and Christmas became -- well. Just another day with Frank passed out on the couch, clutching a bottle, while Sam and Jim -- and eventually, just Jim -- watched a holovid or played on their PADDs.  
  
Now, on the Enterprise, Jim's excitement for the holidays is back full-force. A couple of the younger ensigns put up bright, glittery lights in the mess and the hallways (bending safety protocol in a way that Jim pretends not to notice). Uhura's been slipping a festive comm signal into the systems, turning the standard whistle into a uplifting little melody. Chekov keeps trying to force a pair of faux-antlers on Sulu on the bridge, having decorated his own uniform with red lametta.  
  
All in all, it's rather lovely and Jim has been getting into the mood so quickly, Spock apparently cannot help but notice it.  
  
"Is there anything in particular that you find amusing, Captain?" he asks, stepping away from the science station and up to the captain's chair.  
  
"No, Mr. Spock," Jim returns with a bright grin. "Just feeling the holiday cheer, is all."  
  
"I had thought you were not a particular fan of the festive season," Spock returns, more quietly this time.  
  
Jim is surprised himself that the comment doesn't put any sort of damper on his mood. "I thought so, too," he replies. "Guess I was wrong."  
  
Spock nods in acceptance and returns to the station, but not without subtlety brushing his hand over Jim's, which is resting on the armrest. Jim grins even more widely.  
  


* * *

  
“I want to know!”  
  
“It is a surprise.”  
  
“But I want to know.”  
  
“Does that not defeat the purpose of a surprise?”  
  
“Well, I’ll be surprised if you tell me now, I’m sure. Please?”  
  
Spock shakes his head in a way Jim knows to be final. Spock won’t tell him what Christmas surprise he’s thought up in the last hours, no matter how much he keeps bugging him.  
  
“I do not understand why you cannot simply wait a few more hours,” Spock says, raising his eyebrows at him over the mess table. “Beta shift will be over in four hours, eleven minutes. As this point in time also coincides roughly with Christmas morning on Earth, I will then reveal the surprise I have prepared for you.”  
  
Jim sighs in defeat, although he doesn’t feel too bad about it. After all, Spock’s right: just a bit longer, and they’ll both have an entire day off to enjoy the holiday cheer. Unless there’s an emergency, the possibility of which Jim is firmly ignoring right now.  
  
“Fine,” he says. “But it better be good.”  
  
Spock’s upper lip twitches in a way that Jim knows to be an indulgent smile with everyone else. “I believe you will enjoy it,” he says and returns to his meal.  
  


* * *

  
  
When their shift is finally over, Jim literally skips back to their shared quarters. Spock is following at his usual pace, looking as regal as always. There's a prickle of warmth at the back of Jim's mind, though, that speaks of his own content.  
  
Jim is still not quite used to having his own happiness reflected back at him in a muted, more Vulcan way. In this instance, though, it's possibly the greatest thing he's ever experienced.  
  
"I feel kind of bad now that we said no presents," Jim says when they enter their cabin. "I don’t have anything for you."  
  
Spock doesn't reply, only changes calmly out of his uniform.  
  
Jim lies down on their bed, grinning at the ceiling. "God, I kinda feel like I'm drunk. You think they put something into my drink at lunch?"  
  
"I do not believe anybody would be so unwise as to render the captain of a Starfleet vessel inebriated while he is on duty."  
  
Jim chuckles. "Live a little, Spock!"  
  
"I am 'living' just fine without consuming any sort of alcohol, especially when I am on duty."  
  
To anybody else, the statement would have sounded brusque, but Jim can feel the lasting amusement tingling in his mind. He turns on the bed so he lies on his side. “So? Surprise?”  
  
“Yes,” Spock says. “But not like this. Please change your clothes and relax.” He himself has changed into one of his Vulcan robes. Jim loves them because they’re so incredibly soft.  
  
“Fine!” Jim returns. “Fine, give me a minute.”  
  
He grabs some comfortable clothes and disappears into the head, taking a quick sonic and changing into more comfortable clothes. When he steps out of the bathroom, Spock is sitting on his meditation mat on the floor, his Vulcan lyre in his hands.  
  
Jim’s eyes widen. “Oh my god,” he says. “Really?”  
  
Spock blinks up at him. “Am I to understand that you are suitably surprised?”  
  
“Yes! God, I haven’t heard you play once! Once, even though I kept asking.”  
  
“I said I would play to you on a special occasion,” Spock returns. “Now, will you sit down? I shall then begin.”  
  
Feeling giddy in a way he thought only children could, Jim sits on the bed and faces Spock, who is holding the lyre elegantly in his hands. Jim feels like he might explode with excitement.  
  
When Spock plucks the first string, it sounds strange and familiar all at once. Jim closes his eyes and simply enjoys the song.  
  
It soon becomes clear that Spock has mixed traditional Terran holiday songs with what is most likely a traditional Vulcan melody. It sounds breathtaking and Jim feels goosebumps form on his forearms.  
  
When Spock finishes, Jim is grinning. He opens his eyes to see Spock look up at him. His face is unreadable, but there’s affection prodding at Jim’s mind and he cannot help himself: getting up, he approaches Spock and kisses him fiercely.  
  
Spock somehow manages to safely put away his instrument before Jim is in his lap.  
  
They trade several kisses, switching between tender and filthy in the matter of seconds. Eventually, they part.  
  
“God, I love you,” Jim says and Spock’s eyes crinkle in a way they only very seldom do, showing all the affection he usually hides behind his Vulcan mask.  
  
“I love you, too.”  
  
Jim grins. “Well, obviously I don’t have a surprise prepared,” he says. “But I think I have an idea what else I could do to make you feel good.”  
  
Spock raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?” he asks.  
  
“Yes,” Jim returns and presses firmly against him. “Just you wait.”  
  
All things considered, Jim will think later, this was probably the best Christmas he’s ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** Spock's gift to Jim for the holidays is to give him a private concert on his lyre.


End file.
